Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will provide a regional breakdown of the number of planning applications to convert office space into housing received in each of the last four years.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The department collects numbers of decisions made on such applications during each quarter at the following link.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department plans to take steps to provide special counselling services to young Hong Kongers who have recently moved to the UK and are struggling to adapt to their new environment.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Those entering the United Kingdom via the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) [BN(O)] visa route have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge and can access NHS services, such as mental health support, free at the point of use, on broadly the same basis as a person who is ordinarily resident in the UK.
DLUHC launched the Welcome Programme for BN(O)s in April 2021. It provides a UK-wide support package that comprises an easily accessible universal offer and targeted support for those most in need, including support for those with mental health issues.
The Programme also funds VCSE organisations at a national and regional level to provide support for BN(O) visa holders, including those with mental health issues.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of reinstating the Community Housing Fund on levels of housing supply.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
When the Homes England Community Housing Fund (CHF) programme closed in 2020, it had built up a pipeline of project anticipating the delivery of 10,780 homes outside London. Within London, the CHF is being delivered by the Greater London Authority which, in January 2023, reported a development pipeline of 1194 homes. The 2021/22 round of the CHF was delivered by the Community Led Homes partnership, and has supported projects anticipating the delivery of 1263 homes.
The most recent round of the CHF closed in March 2022. The government is considering what support it may provide to the community-led housing sector and a decision will be made in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many units of housing were delivered as a result of funding under the Community Housing Fund.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
When the Homes England Community Housing Fund (CHF) programme closed in 2020, it had built up a pipeline of project anticipating the delivery of 10,780 homes outside London. Within London, the CHF is being delivered by the Greater London Authority which, in January 2023, reported a development pipeline of 1194 homes. The 2021/22 round of the CHF was delivered by the Community Led Homes partnership, and has supported projects anticipating the delivery of 1263 homes.
The most recent round of the CHF closed in March 2022. The government is considering what support it may provide to the community-led housing sector and a decision will be made in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make it his policy to reinstate the Community Housing Fund.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
When the Homes England Community Housing Fund (CHF) programme closed in 2020, it had built up a pipeline of project anticipating the delivery of 10,780 homes outside London. Within London, the CHF is being delivered by the Greater London Authority which, in January 2023, reported a development pipeline of 1194 homes. The 2021/22 round of the CHF was delivered by the Community Led Homes partnership, and has supported projects anticipating the delivery of 1263 homes.
The most recent round of the CHF closed in March 2022. The government is considering what support it may provide to the community-led housing sector and a decision will be made in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many of his Department's (a) laptops, (b) mobile phones, (c) memory sticks and (d) external hard drives have been lost or stolen in each of the last five years.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given in response to Question UIN 89643 on 16 December 2021.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to publish (a) the results of and (b) his Department's response to the consultation covering the proposed changes to building regulations under part 3 of the Building Safety Act 2022.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
We are currently considering responses to the consultation covering proposed changes to building regulations under Part 3 of the Building Safety Act 2022 and will publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many homes were bought using the Help to Buy scheme in (a) Westminster constituency and (b) each local authority area in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Data on households which have benefitted from the Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme in each local authority area can be found in published statistics here.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions has his Department had with mortgage lenders on accidental landlords. those home-owners who are unable to sell their homes due to cladding issues which prevent them from obtaining a favourable EWS1 certificate.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
On 15 July, the largest mortgage lenders confirmed that, subject to their normal policy requirements, they will be able to lend on any property that is part of a developer or government remediation scheme or properties that are protected by the new statutory protections, as evidenced by a qualifying lease certificate.
We continue to work with, and meet, lenders regularly to ensure the operationalisation of these changes. As a result, we expect the challenges faced by those struggling to buy and sell, including for those in flats where remediation has not yet begun, will be eased.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is to shortly publish new guidance for valuers. This will support the valuation of property subject to building safety remediation and will reflect the leaseholder protections stemming from the Building Safety Act.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of rising mortgage rates on accidental landlords, those home-owners who are unable to sell their property due to cladding issues which prevent them from obtaining a favourable EWS1 certificate.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
On 15 July, the largest mortgage lenders confirmed that, subject to their normal policy requirements, they will be able to lend on any property that is part of a developer or government remediation scheme or properties that are protected by the new statutory protections, as evidenced by a qualifying lease certificate.
We continue to work with, and meet, lenders regularly to ensure the operationalisation of these changes. As a result, we expect the challenges faced by those struggling to buy and sell, including for those in flats where remediation has not yet begun, will be eased.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is to shortly publish new guidance for valuers. This will support the valuation of property subject to building safety remediation and will reflect the leaseholder protections stemming from the Building Safety Act.